Businesses such as restaurants in the fast food and beverage business, particularly coffee shops, are not often able to hand out their menu or other pricing materials to their clientele. The alternative is a menu board which is usually hung behind a counter and on which a complete listing of all the products are advertised for the clientele to see. These menu boards come in various form from chalk on a blackboard to interior-illuminated plastic boards. It is important that the prices and products be easily interchangeable as items on a menu and their prices can vary greatly and frequently can change. Another important aspect is the aesthetics of the menu board. By hanging a menu behind the counter, it becomes an integral part of a restaurant's interior decor and as such requires features that are pleasing to the eye. Simplicity in the design renders the menu board more appealing. A flat and continuous surface makes the menu board appear neat and uncluttered, making it easier for the clientele to identify the products and their price, without taking away from the attractiveness of the decor.
There are various methods of obtaining a flat and continuous menu board: blackboard with chalk, white board with marker, flat plastic front panel with interior-illumination, magnetized strips, etc. The prices on the black and white boards can easily be changed by erasing the previous price or product and rewriting the new information. This requires someone with neat and artistic hand-writing to maintain a professional and pleasant look. It is difficult to maintain the same lettering if more than one person is to execute the changes. Furthermore, it takes a long of time to complete the board and then to modify it every time a price or product would change. The illuminated signs are permanent and cannot be changed without replacing the entire facade of the menu, a costly and time consuming affair.
Magnetized strips can be used if they are cut to fit edge-to-edge and then placed onto a back portion (with magnetically attractable material) thereby forming a completely flat surface. However, each strip must be adapted to fit well with all other pieces so as to be able to completely cover the back portion with strips indicating products and prices without leaving any spaces between the strips. Once that is accomplished, there must be an easy way to remove and replace any of the strips without removing a great number of them, without causing damage to any part of the menu board system.
Canadian patent 1,257,475 to Kane describes a changeable display sign which uses magnetized pieces and strips that fit onto a back portion and which form a flat and continuous surface. However, once all the strips and pieces are put together, they are not easily removed because their edges are pressed together. The patent discloses a sharp tool or suction cup to be used to remove the pieces from the board. Pieces may thus be damaged around the edges and therefore have a short useful life. The sharp edges of a knife or a screwdriver may also damage the back portion of the menu board by scratching it. This may eventually interfere with the magnetized pieces and prevent the strips from lining up properly.
Therefore a device or system which overcomes the drawbacks of known menu board signage is desired.